


The Paper Boy

by Act_ocean



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Study, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Identity Issues, Kalluto centred, M/M, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:41:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29182692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Act_ocean/pseuds/Act_ocean
Summary: What if Kalluto was the one who ran away on that day?What if Kalluto was tired of being his family perfect doll? What if he wanted to be his own person? What if Kalluto was the one who met Gon at the Hunter exam?This is a story about a boy trying to find his place in the world, and how he along the way find a new family.
Relationships: Gon Freecs & Kalluto Zoldyck, Gon Freecs/Kalluto Zoldyck, Isaac Netero & Kalluto Zoldyck, Kurapika & Kalluto Zoldyck, Leorio Paladiknight & Kalluto Zoldyck
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36





	1. Flowing away with the wind

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I'm back.
> 
> I haven't written in nearly a half year, and I keep having writers block, so this is basically me trying to break it. So don't expect a masterpiece.
> 
> I've been thinking about this idea for a while, and since I love Kalluto, I thought this would be the best way to break my writers block, and I hope that you'll enjoy it.

Kalluto stood at the edge of the wall. Looking down, the distance felt so enormous. It was totally different from looking up from the outside.

Was he really going to do this?

He could just turn around. No one would notice any difference. He would just return to his mother’s side. Back in her shadow. Kalluto would be the obedient child, continuing to be the perfect son. Mothers love would be enough. He didn’t need more. He would force himself to not need more. Kalluto could be happy.

But he wouldn’t do that.

He wanted to be an individual. All his life he’d been all they ever wanted him. Kalluto was tired of it. He wasn’t like Killua, the heir with the strong will, he wasn’t like Illumi who was the original, he wasn’t like Milluki who had his way with computers and he wasn’t like Alluka who Killua loved, and his brothers, mother and father wanted something from.

All he ever was, was his mother’s perfect doll. An inferior Illumi, which only purpose was to follow his mother’s lead. An invisible doll. A doll that only just managed to be right behind everyone else.

A doll which no one saw.

Someone who never stood out.

Turning around and looking back, he felt like throwing up. All the feelings of discomfort slowly returned. The claustrophobic feeling of being constantly molded, while still never earning a single look. The chain that always bound him to his mothers. The longing looks toward Alluka.

They all reappeared with a single glance.

Kalluto looked at the outside again.

Was it worth it?

With Shaking hands, Kalluto pulled out a paper cutting from the Kimono. His whole family was right here. Small but still as powerful. Only himself was just as weak as the paper, that he was made of. Nothing special, the last in the line.

It felt so pathetic.

He felt his fingers closing around it.

Then he pulled.

He teared it from the others.

And then let go of it.

The wind quickly grabbed the little paper boy, and he was gone before Kalluto had any change to grab it again. Not like he planned to. It was time to follow.

He jumped.

~-~

Kalluto had no idea what to do. He had been so determined to run away, that he didn’t even think about what to do when he was out. He’d always just done what Mother told him to do. Even when he was alone on missions, it was always just him following dad’s orders.

Sitting by the road he tried to focus his eyes on the cars. Thinking back, what exactly did he do when he was outside? If he just remembered that, then he could follow those steps. Make the orders his own.

Firstly, he needed to find a place to stay. Kalluto always did that, when the jobs were a long distance from the mansion.

Ruffling a bit in the bag he had brought with him; he found a bit of pocket change. It was money, but it was definitely not enough to pay for a roof over his head.

Also, if it were, he would not be able to get the next thing on the list:

Food.

It was cheaper than a place to sleep, but he needed more of it. One meal would at least take half of his money, maybe a quarter if he tried to be a cheapskate. Kalluto had never tried that. He could also sleep outside until it got colder. Dad had forced him to sleep outside when he was younger, if he didn’t did as asked of him. He’d also done it on missions in later years, but only for a single night or two, it couldn’t be permanent, and again if it was food still wouldn’t be easy. He could probably catch some animals, but Kalluto had no idea how to make food.

At this rate, his money would even last him a week. He should’ve really prepared himself more: Packed a bag with all the stuff he needed, instead of this quickly rushed together sack. 

He should’ve have brought more money. Kalluto had no idea how to function out here in the real world, without the hands guiding him. How would he know how to earn money? He never learned any real skills except fighting. All he knew was how to kil-

Kalluto felt shivers down his spine. He needed to stop his way of thoughts.

_“There is an easy way to get money,”_

feeling a sense of dread, he franticly looked around.

_“It’s right there in your blood,”_

He clasped his ears. Kalluto needed to keep the sound out.

_“The Zoldycks are a family of assassins,”_

it was stupid. He knew that. Of course, he knew that. The voice was inside him. No matter how hard he tried to keep sound out, he could not make the one that was already inside disappear.

_“All we do is kill,”_

Kalluto didn’t want to hear. he wasn’t a Zoldyck any longer. He had betrayed his family. those words didn’t apply to him any longer.

_“All you ever need to do is kill, then you’ll get everything you need. That’s how the perfect Zoldyck is,”_

He wanted to curl up, hide from everything, but the cooing voice just got louder and louder. It was so overwhelming, just like the man that said them. Kalluto didn’t want to listen to that man anymore, but the words. The words kept being too much.

_“Aren’t you a perfect Zoldyck Kalluto?”_

In some ways he wanted to say yes. He could return and be the doll he always was. A copy of perfection. He could even run away, but still follow the shackles. Still having the save space called his family. he could be-

“NO!”

Kalluto felt his eyes widen. D-di-did he just scream. He was sure it was a scream. His mom did it all the time, so he recognized the sound. It was the same.

Yet totally different.

He had this weird feeling in his chest. It was warm, and comfortable. Like a bird that had been in a cage for too long, and suddenly it was free. Kalluto wanted to keep that feeling. Did that mean that he needed to put the bird in a new cage?

Taking a step toward the road, Kalluto was determined. He had made a choice. The paper boy had chosen to fly away. That meant that he shouldn’t get back into the habit of letting people cut themselves on him again.

He wasn’t a part of the bigger paper cutting anymore.

The paper boy was free to fly wherever he wanted.

Kalluto was sure that he would figure out the rest on the way.

~-~

“You see to be quite hungry young lad,” was the first words that Kalluto heard the old man beside him utter.

They had been sitting beside each other for a while, but that other man hadn’t done anything to start a conversation up to that point. Something that Kalluto had been very thankful. Talking to people outside his family was weird. Kalluto still hadn’t gotten used to it.

He could talk to the waiter, that wasn’t difficult. But that kind of interaction was different. The interaction was just business, business wasn’t really talking. It was just a transition.

But talking to a person for real: Kalluto really didn’t want to do that.

So instead he just froze up. Why did the man have to comment? It didn’t matter to him that Kalluto was devouring his food as fast as possible. He had no reason to talk to Kalluto. No one ever did.

“Not much of a talker, are ya? I feel you kid, I didn’t enjoy people speaking to me when I was younger neither,” continued the old man as he made himself more comfortable.

He didn’t really understand. Why did the old man want to talk to him? No one ever wanted to talk with him. No one saw him, all they saw was hands. Avoiding the man’s glance Kalluto looked down into his food. How did he deal with someone that saw beyond the hands? Cause the hands wasn’t there anymore. They couldn’t mold him anymore.

They couldn’t protect him anymore.

Unsurely he tried to speak up:” I’m not very used to talking to strangers.” It sounded so calm, so much like his usual voice. It was only himself that knew the truth. A truth that he needed to face. Gathering his composure, he looked right the man.

As he did that, the old man shrugged his head, and said:” Kid it’s okay. As I said I was just like you before, but can you please spare this old lad a favor a speak with him for a bit?” he nervously robbed the back of his head as he did.

Kalluto was conflicted. He said he was going to be free, to be himself, but it was hard.

And that was something he was going to overcome.

“I could d-do that,” one step at a time.

The old man face lit up as he heard those words.” Bless you child. Now let’s return to my original question: why you seemed to be in such a hurry? Though I have to say the way you’re not refusing to strike up a conversation with me, gives of the feeling that you are not actually in a hurry, so why eat you food with such an energy?” the old mam answered, as he smiled and pointed his finger at Kalluto’s bowl.

Should he tell the truth or lie?

_“Tricking people, is the best way to get people on your side,”_

“I haven’t eaten anything since last night,” uttered Kalluto. He wouldn’t follow them. He would do what he thought was right, and maybe If he was lucky enough the old man would even give him a few coins.

There was a bit of awkward silence after Kalluto stated his thought out loud. Maybe he was wrong, to do it? It was probably wrong to tell a stranger about your weaknesses. Now that he thought about it, it was very wrong.

And then suddenly the old man pushed his own bowl over, until it was right beside Kalluto’s own.

“Eat it.”

Kalluto’s eyes widened. Why did the man give him his food? It wasn’t how you acted. That food would give the old man strength. Why would he give his strength to Kalluto? The must be some kind off catch. No one would just do something for another person. Things like that only happened in families, because there the price was already payed with the blood in their bodies.

He turned his check to the man; he couldn’t accept this.

“Goddammit child, just eat the food. You clearly need it,” he sounded angry, but Kalluto couldn’t see if that was the truth, as he kept his check turned.

“No I don’t,” he said as calmly as h could.

And then his stomach rumbled.

Again, the man pushed his bowl, this time so that Kalluto’s moved to the side. As he did that the man continued his defense:” Listen to your body and eat!”

“I have my own food,” he answered as ho grabbed his own pitiful bowl, which only had a small amount of leftover in it.

“Yes, you do, but I have more, just take it!” his voice got louder and louder, just like da-

No, it wasn’t like his, because most of the time that man had logic in his words. This man clearly didn’t understand how people and society in general operated. Kalluto needed to make the man understand his mistake, so he didn’t repeat it. With his quite voice, he stated:” But that’s not how it works? You can’t just give me something. I need to pay. That’s How it does work.”

“Look kid,” he grabbed Kalluto’s shoulders,” It’s called being kind,” he turned Kalluto around so that he faced him. It made Kalluto feel a bit dizzy,” But if you’re so determined to pay, then you can start by giving me your name.”

“Kalluto. Th-that’s my name, just Kalluto.”

And with that the paper boy met the man, who would give him a push in the right direction.


	2. finding the way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple meeting can change everything.   
> Even though people can be confusing.  
> Are confusing people even people?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a joy to write. I hadn't written for while because I lacked inspiration, but then I read an amazing fanfiction, and suddenly my brain thought:" If you never write you're never going to get better." so i wrote, and it felt really good. 
> 
> So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

The man said his name was Isaac Netero.

Kalluto was sure he’d heard the name before; he just didn’t remember where. Mr. Netero also said that he was a simple businessman.

There wasn’t even a second where Kalluto believed him. It wouldn’t make sense for him to have heard the name of simple businessman. Why would anyone he ever was in close proximity even mention such a person.

But Kalluto didn’t dig deeper into it. Mr. Netero had chosen to not tell the truth, and Kalluto wouldn’t impose on that choice. It was a very natural thing for humans to take their own choices.

Not many people were like him.

Another odd thing about the other man, was that he at this point had bought Kalluto seven Bowls of food. 

Seven.

Kalluto wasn’t sure how he even managed to store all that food in his stomach, and much less how Mr. Netero could afford that much. He could maybe understand that giving his own food to Kalluto wouldn’t be a loss of money, only a loss of food, but the he went ahead and bought 6 additional bowls.

Mr. Netero was really a stupid man.

So, when Kalluto finished the seventh bowl, and he saw that the man raised his hand to order an eighth, he immediately grabbed Mr. Netero’s arm.

“Please don’t. I’ve already eaten more than enough, and my name is in no way as valuable as all this,” The food was good and all, but Kalluto was telling the truth. He was full, and there was this weird thing inside him.

The thing didn’t feel weird because the man was acting weird.

It felt weird because Kalluto was using the fact that he was acting weird.

Smiling carefreely, Mr. Netero released himself from Kalluto’s grip:” Oh but you need big amounts of food young Kalluto. How else are you going to grow? A young boy at your age needs loads of calories to keep up with your growing body.”

“But this food is expensive,” The man had already done enough, Kalluto didn’t want him to do more.

Mr. Netero lifted his hand in the air, to signal for another bowl.

“Kid it’s not that expensive, at least not for me,” He laughed out loud as Kalluto gave him his death stare, the one that That Man had taught him.

Kalluto was pretty confused how was the food not expensive to him. Everything was expensive when you had to pay yourself. No one gave you anything, except if you were payed with blood. This kindness that the man had spoken of before could not go this far, could it?

“How?” he only uttered a single word.

Scratching the back on his head, Mr. Netero answered:” Well when you don’t have to pay for transport or nearly every other public facility, you end up having a pretty big amount of money set aside for food.”

“Huh?” How was that possible. Nearly everything had a price. Mr. Netero had this weird idea of “kindness”, but Kalluto did know that that wasn’t the way of the rest of the world. He wasn’t that sheltered.

As to answer Kalluto’s Confusion, Mr. Netero pulled out a weird card from his own Kimono:” You see young Kalluto, to pay for stuff like that, I have this.”

The card was White and blue and had this weird symbol with something that looked like two X’s. There was also text on the card. For example, there was written Mr. Netero’s name, and then there was also written-

Kalluto’s eyes widened. Below the name was with bold letters written:

**About the Hunter License:**

**This card cannot be used except by the person it was issued to. License is stripped when lost. The card can never be reissued.**

A Hunter license! Kalluto had only heard about those. He’d never seen one in real life.

_“A hunter License can be useful, as it allows you to cross nearly every border.”_

That man had mentioned them a few times.

_“But we don’t need that. A real Zoldyck could cross every border with or without some unimportant license;”_

And Kalluto wasn’t that anymore.

_“There hasn’t been a Zoldyck with a Hunter license in the last 3 generations.”_

No one had one. None of the Zoldycks had a license. Even the original didn’t have one. Here was something.

Something Kalluto could have for himself. That thing that would differentiate him. His thing. It didn’t matter that it was useless to a Zoldyck. It wouldn’t be useless for Kalluto.

“How do you get this License?”

A smirk appeared on Mr. Netero’s face, and Kalluto got the slight feeling that he’d been baited.

The old man cut the tear of, so all that was, was the paper boy, and soon the wind grabbed the paper boy again.

~-~

He couldn’t find a guide. He couldn’t find a simple guide.

Kalluto had been searching for hours, and he simply couldn’t. He didn’t even know where to start looking, or who to ask. It was all so vague and confusing. He was wasting all of Mr. Netero’s kindness.

The man had done too much for Kalluto.

Firstly, he’d told him about the exam, then he’d helped him sending an application and then as a last goodbye he had given him a small handful coins to cover travel expenses.

Kalluto still remembered the last words the man had left him with before he’d disappeared. They were so normal, yet they seemed off in some strange way.

_“Bye kid. I only wish you good luck. You’ve made an old man very happy, so I hope your become very happy in return.”_

He felt weirdly warm thinking about the smile Mr. Netero had shot him. A warm goodbye? That was a new feeling. Weird, but not as weird as what came after.

_“Also, the Hunter exam takes place in Zaban city this year. Its’s such a lovely place. I visit whenever I have time.”_

_“If you have some free time, I would recommend you stop by this small restaurant in the city. They make the best steak combo, that opened your eyes to the light. But you needed to remember to ask for it to be grilled over a low flame until its done, else it won’t taste as good. Also, Kalluto, eat in the backroom and get three portions. I know you wouldn’t want more bothersome strangers to approach you, and you need to eat more kid.”_

With that he quietly left.

It was like his presence had completely disappeared.

And with that Kalluto had begun his travel.

A travel that only made him more and more confused. It had been so easy in the beginning. He knew how to find the cheapest voyages; he knew how to get to a place.

But what he didn’t know was how to find a guide.

All he did was to travel back and forth in the city, hoping that someone would approach him, because gently said: He had no bloody idea where to start.

He didn’t want to ask people. People could lie. They could say they were a guide and bring him in a totally different direction. They could, no would trick him.

Except he needed people to do this. Kalluto really needed to find the guide, and the only way was to communicate.

Communicate with a crowd that only wished for his disappearance, one less contestant to worry about. Kalluto had seen them. Half of the people in the city was hunters looking for guides, just like him. They wouldn’t help him. He was a danger to them. Not that they would know on first glance. The clothes he wore didn’t exactly give him away.

But even a single piece paper could create a deep wound.

Especially his paper.

No one could be trusted.

No people were selfish creatures at their core, there was always a price to pay.

Except maybe one man.

Mr. Netero was different he wasn’t like them. He could be kind. There was no price to pay there. Only a gentle smile.

While travelling, Kalluto had concluded that, that smile, and kindness could never come from a creature that was like him. The older man was simply not human. He couldn’t be, and Kalluto had Accepted that. More than accepted he had felt immense happiness when he realized it.

Because if Mr. Netero wasn’t human, everything made sense.

And Kalluto could accept him, trust him.

His thoughts returned to his words.

Maybe he should visit that restaurant now. He was in need of a break. A break could help him clear his thoughts. Then he would surely have a new idea of how he could find a guide when he finished. Clearing one’s head was good. It was not like he could do anything other than waste time at this point in time.

Yes, visiting the restaurant was the right course of action.

So that was what he did.

It took him around an hour to find it, but when he did, he was sure it was the right place. It had such a cozy feel about it, and in some weird way it just oozed Mr. Netero.

Entering it, it just kept reminding him more and more of the old man. The restaurant seemed nearly identical to the one they met in. The same traditional design and the same kind of food.

The only difference was that this place was a lot more crowded.

A lot more danger.

_“Every person is a bomb waiting to go off, some more dangerous than others, but still a bomb.”_

A shiver went down his spine. He wanted to turn around immediately. Scout out the area better. Kalluto needed to at least know where one of the emergency exits were, so he had a safe way out. The windows clearly weren’t a viable option. His mind kept telling him that he needed to make sure that there wasn’t any danger, at least danger he couldn’t defeat

But Kalluto wasn’t going to do that.

He was going to enjoy a great meal, that a creature he trusted had recommended him. Kalluto needed to breath, and that was what he was going to do.

“Excuse me, is the backroom open?” he needed to be polite. Afterall he was asking for something special.

The cook quickly looked up, like some sort of reflex:” What will you have?”

Kalluto needed to be precise. He needed to recite the old man’s words, because he had no idea what else there was on the menu.

“Three portions of,” Kalluto was sure about that part “The steak combo that… opens your eyes to the light?” not so much about the one that came after. It sounded so stupid, and Kalluto was sure that he had messed something up.

And then he suddenly felt a tense atmosphere. Something had changed, and the thing that changed was the cook. The man had suddenly gone from mildly interested, to extremely observant. Like he was listening for something special.

There was undoubtedly something up with that steak combo. 

“for three huh? How would you like them,” the cook questioned as he suddenly stopped to stir in the pan. It was like he was anxiously waiting for Kalluto’s answer.

Why did it matter what Kalluto answered? It was just a simple dish of food. A simple dish Mr. Netero recommended.

Or was it?

“Grilled over a low flamed, until cooked,” reciting it word for word, suddenly seemed a lot more important, in a whole new way.

As soon as Kalluto uttered the words the cook seemed to calm down immediately. Kind of like someone had put a spell on him, and suddenly it broke.

“Go it. Let yourself into the backroom.”

Quietly leaving the room, Kalluto kept thinking about what he just had started. The words were definitely a form of code that made something happen, but what would happen? What had Mr. Netero given him a code to?

In a hurry he entered the backroom and closed the door instantly.

And the room began to move.

Looking up Kalluto realized it was an elevator.

An elevator that went down really quickly.

Shit,

He felt the shock as soon as it hit the ground. It wasn’t much but he was used to feel subtle movements. Kalluto would soon find out where the word had led him.

The door creaked a bit. Someone needed to lubricate it.

Despite that, it opened in a few seconds.

Outside there was a few hundred people placed all around in some kind of sewer. The sewer was dark but there was a lot of small red lights placed on the walls. It wasn’t well lit but at least it was something.

Kalluto had seen worse.

All of the people had simultaneously turned around as soon as he arrived. They were starring at him. Observing his every movement.

Kalluto wanted to hide somewhere.

A Zoldyck was supposed to be invisible.

Or rather Kalluto Zoldyck was supposed to be invisible.

But Kalluto was Kalluto, and not a stupid last name. He could be looked at, there was no problem with being seen. He wanted to be seen.

But he couldn’t help that it made him itch all over his body.

“Hello. Please take a number,” a small green man? Kalluto wasn’t sure, suddenly stood right in front of him, and was holding a small badge with a number:

1219

Kalluto eyes flared up, his heart rate followed soon after:” What it this?”

The green man smiled sweetly.

Just like Mr. Netero.

“Well it’s your badge for the hunter exam. Be sure to wear this on your chest at all time. Be careful not to lose it.”

Wonder filled up Kalluto’s chest as he looked down on the white badge. His badge for The Hunter Exam. Kalluto’s badge.

Mr. Netero was certainly no human.

Slowly the wind that had blown the paper boy on his way slowed down, and the paper boy fell into a pile of paper men.

And a single stone boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was it. 
> 
> Oh my sweet Child Kalluto I can definitely say Old Mr. Netero is a true human being, no matter how much he may seem otherwise.
> 
> Also like thank you for reading this, it mean a lot to me. I primarily write for myself, but when I see a comment or a familiar face in the Kudos I'm filled with joy.

**Author's Note:**

> So that's the first chapter. I don't know how regularly I'll update this, but I hope you enjoyed it, and will be patiently waiting for the next chapter.


End file.
